Excavator.



PATENTBD JULY '74, 1908.

J. G. FAIRBANKS.

EXCAVATOR. A APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED JULY '7, 1908.L

J. G. FAIRBANKS.

BXGAVAT0R- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q/V tu abaco PATEN T OllltlliCE.

JAMES G. FAIRBANKS, OF MARION, OHIO.

EXcAvA'roR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1908.

Application filed January 2, 1908. Serial Ilo. 408,969.

To all whom it lma. 1/ concern Be it known that l, Jauns G. FAIRBANKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Excavater, of .which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to excavating apparatus employed for ditching and other purposes, and has for its principal object to provide a novel form of bucket and bucket supporting actuating means in which the bucket may be completely iilled, swung to any desired point, and the entire contents discharged without regard to the condition of the load, the apparatus being equally ell'ective in digging dry or wet material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a scraper bucket' having a still or rigid handle which may be locked in any position of adjustment so as to hold the bucket down t0 its work, and which will further permit ready movement of the bucket to and from loading and discharging positions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a drag cable machine in which the strain on the boom is materially reduced, the work of the boom being practicallyT limited to the movement of the bucket and its carrying handle between loading and discharging positions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a drag line machine of this class in which the bucket and its handle are adjust-- ably connected for the purpose of securing a greater or less rake or clearance of the bucket while in use.

lith these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form proportions, size and minor details of the struct'iu'e may be made without departing from Vthe spirit or sacriiicing any of the ad vantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is an elevation of a ditching machine con! structed in accordance with the invention, the engine and portions of the operating mechanism being omitted. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the excavating bucket and its handle. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on an enlarged scale on the cable 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing the bucket in load discharging position.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawing, 1() designates the main body or frame of the excavating machine, and this portion of the device may be of any construction and arranged lor operation on dry land, or it may be in the form ol a scow or ilat boat lor ditching or dredging open ations.

At the liront portion ol the frame 1() is mounted a derrick frame 11, and in front ol the frame is a'vturn table 12, on which is mounted the foot of a boom 15 of any desired length. The top ol" the boom is secured to the to of the derrick by a tension member 16, an( the derrick has a tension brace 17, all of these parts being arranged in the ordinary manner, l

At the outer end oi the boom is a shaft 20 on which is mounted a shcave 21, and over this sheave passes a hoisting cable 2L, the lower end of which is connected to the bucket, while the inner end of the cable passes to a suitable winding drum 23. To the op )osite end portions ot' the shalt is pivoted a yoke 24, that serves as a guide for a bucket handle 25, said handle being formed ol two parallel bars 27 that are spaced from each other to permit 'the passage of the sheave 2l between them, so that the sheave and the yoke coact to guide said handle and preserve the same in proper relative position to the boom.

Mounted loosely on the shaft 2O are two small sheaves 2S and 2) which are free to revolve independently ol each other and independently ol the sheave 21. These small sheaves are grooved and their extreme peripheral portions serve as roller bearings for engagement with the inner face olY thel hanf dle '25. Secured to a bracket 3() at the lower end of the handle is a cable 31 that passes up down the line ol the boom to a grooved drum that is rigidly secured to a shal't 34 mounted in bearings near the lower end ol the boom, the cable being wound around the drum and its end being rigidly secured thereto. Secured to a bracket 36 at the top of the handle is a cable 37 that passes under the sheave 29,

and thence over a sheave 38 passing down over the sheave 2S, and thence follows the boom, and being woundvaround the drum 33 in a'direction'opposite to thatin which the cable31 is wound. The end of the Acable 37 is, also, connected to this drum.

At theA end of the drum is a friction disk 40, that is surrounded by a band brake 41 having one end secured to a bracket 42 on thew boem, and its opposite end being connected to one arm of the lever 43, the opposite arm of said lever being connected through a bell- 'Y positively locked in any position to which it may have been adj usted. l/Vhen it is desired to raise the handle or lower the-same, the braking device is released and the drum is turned in one or other direction to unwind one of the cables and wind up on the other.

Secured rigidly to the lower end of the handle 25 is a yoke 47 that straddles the bucket 48, and is pivotally connected to pinsl 49 projecting from the opposite sides thereof, said pins being disposed in the vertical plane of the center of gravity ofthe bucket ,and preferably at a point below such center of gravity, so that the turning of the bucket to dumping position is facilitated.

To the upper ortion of the front of the bucket is secure a yoke 50, the upper central portion of' which is connected to the lower end of the hoisting cable 22, this cable serving as a means of raising the bucket and its handle. ln order -to prevent over turning of the bucket by the operation of the hoisting cable, the rear end of the bucket is connected to a hook 52 mounted on the han-l dle by means of a chain 53, and this chain may be hooked u in order to vary the angular position or rale of the bucket as may be demanded bythe character of the material being excavated.

Pivoted to the forward 'end of thebucket is a bail 55, from which leads a filling rope 56 to any suitable hoisting means.

In operationthe bucket is lowered to the digging position by slacking the hoisting cable 22, and at'the same time loosening theY brake 4l. The bucket and its handle will descend by gravity and the cable 31 in unwinding from the drum 33 will turn said drum, so as to wind up on the cable 37, so that these two cables will remain taut. bucket has reached the digging position, the brake is applied, and the bucket is thus held down firmly in place. The filling rope 56 is then wound up hauling the bucket in the direction of the main frame and filling the same to the desired extent. The brake is then released and the hoistingv rope 22 is wound up, elevating the handle and the bucket, after which the boom is swung to Vhen the escasos the bucket being practically inverted and.

dumping its entire contents.

l. 1n a drag cable excavating machine, a

boom, a bucket, a rigid bucket handle connected pivotally to the bucket and having a slidable connection with the boom, al pair of cables connected one to the upper and the other to the lower end of the handle, a drum aroundvwhich said cables pass in opposite directions, respectively, means for controlling the rotative movement of said drum, and a filling line connected to the bucket.

2. In an excavating machine, a boom, a bucket, a rigid handle pivotally connected to the bucket, and slidably connected to the boom, a pair of sheaves carried by the boom and in part guiding the.' handle, a pair of cables connected one to the lower end and the other to the upper end of the boom and eX- tending around said sheaves, a drum around which said cables pass in opposite directions, respectively, a friction braking mechanism for controlling the rotative movement of the drum, and a filling line connected to the bucket. j

3. ln an excavating machine, a boom, a bucket, a rigid handle pivotally connected to the bucket, a shaft carried by the boom, a central sheave, and a pair of side sheaves mounted on the shaft and arranged for independent rotative movement, the handle having a central space for'the-passage of said central sheave, and. the peripheries of said sheaves being arranged to engage against the inner face of said handle, a yoke pivoted on the shaft and embracing said handle, a pair of cables connected one to the upper and the other to the lower end of the handle and eX- tending around said side sheaves, a drum carried by the boom and around which the cables pass in opposite directions, respectively, a friction brake controlling the rotative movement of the drum, a hoisting cable passing over the central sheave and arranged to elevate thel bucket, and handle, and a filling line connected to said bucket.

4. In an excavating machine, a boom, a bucket, a rigid handle, a yoke carried by the handle' and straddling the bucket, the yoke beingpivotally connected to the bucket at a point adjacent to the vertical plane of and ybelowthe center of gravity of the bucket, a

hoisting cable connected to the forward end of the bucket and limiting means connecting the rear end of the bucket to the handle, and a filling line connected to said bucket.

5. In an excavating machine of the class described, a bucket, a rigid handle pivotally connected thereto, a hoisting rope connected l/Vhen the dumping position.'

adjustable connection etween the rear end of the bucketand the handle to thereby per Il yat apoint which is lower than the center of y v"gravity of the bucket when' in loading tion and which is'in the same Yvertic'a mit alteration ofthe rake of the bucket.A

6. `In a drag line excavating machine a boom, a bucket, a handle connected Vto the boomiand pivotally connected to the bucket at'a point which' is lower than thecenter of gravity of the bucket when in 'loading position, means for locking the handle in adjusted position and a iilling line connected to' said bucket.

7. In 'a drag line excavating machine, a boom, a bucket, a handle connected tothe boom andpivotally connected tothe bucket posiplane with the center of gravityl of .the bucket when in dumping position, means for locking the handle in adjusted position, and a filling line connected to said bucket.

8. In an excavating machine a handle, a

Y yoke having spaced upper portions attached to opposite sides of the handle, the Said portions .converging toward each other at their ends and merging at their extremities, the

. converging portions of the yoke depending at I i an angle to the intermediate portion thereof' and a bucket ivetially mounted lbetween the said depen ing end portions ofthe yoke. 9.v In an excavating machine, a handle, a bucket pivotally connected with the handle, a flexible member connected ywith the handle and bucket and adapted to limit the swing of the bucket and a filling line connected with the bucket.

10. In an excavating machine, a handle, a bucket pivotally connected -with the handle, and a illing line connected with the bucket and adapted to hold the same'in loadin position when,l taut and' permit the bue iet to swinginto dumping position when slack.

11. In a drag line excavating machine, a

boom, a bucket, a handle connected tothe boom and pivotally connected to the bucket,

a flexible member connected with the handle and bucket for limiting the swing of the bucket, means for locking the handlein ad j usted position, and a iilling line connected to said bucket.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto a'llixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES G. FAIRBANKS.

Witnesses:

R. C. MCCOLLUM, HORACE J. COBBOLD.` 

